Adapter for attaching signs to a non-cylindrical signpost

ABSTRACT

An adapter including first connection means for connecting the adapter to a non-cylindrical signpost and second connection means for connecting a sign to the adapter at any location around the adapter so that the sign can face in any desired direction. The first connection means is preferably a cylindrical block made in two halves with an opening therebetween to accommodate the signpost when the two halves are connected together around the signpost. The second connection means comprises a secondary adapter mounted for sliding movement around the periphery of the cylindrical block for positioning the sign at any desired facing orientation. The secondary adapter can be locked against movement to the cylindrical block. In another embodiment, the adapter comprises a metal ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart perforations therethrough. One perforation is used to connect the adapter to the non-cylindrical signpost, and the sign can be connected to any one of the other perforations at a selected position around the periphery of the ring.

United States Patent Bianchi 15 3,654,718 [4 1 Apr. 11, 1972 [72] Inventor: Louis A. Bianchi, 83 Bond St., Rochester,

[22] Filed: Oct. 2, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 863,048

1,629,745 5/1927 Shaw 1,763;431 6/1930 Johnson.....

1,786,883 12/1930 Zahonyi ..40/145 2,526,511 10/1950 Smythe ..248/221 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 14,198 6/1913 Great Britain ..40/145 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Attorney-Schovee & Boston [57] ABSTRACT An adapter including first connection means for connecting the adapter to a non-cylindrical signpost and second connection means for connecting a sign to the adapter at any location around the adapter so that the sign can face in any desired direction. The first connection means is preferably a cylindrical block made in two halves with an opening therebetween to accommodate the signpost when the two halves are connected together around the signpost. The second connection means comprises a secondary adapter mounted for sliding movement around the periphery of the cylindrical block for positioning the sign at any desired facing orientation. The secondary adapter can be locked against movement to the cylindrical block. In another embodiment, the adapter comprises a metal ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart perforations therethrough. One perforation is used to connect the adapter to the non-cylindrical signpost, and the sign can be connected to any one of the other perforations at a selected position around the periphery of the ring.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 1 1 m2 FIG. 2

- 0/ b I 0 1 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. LOUIS A. BIANCHI KW FIG. 1

ATTORNEYS ADAPTER FOR ATTACI-IING SIGNS TO A NON- CYLINDRICAL SIGNPOST BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of signs and signposts and more particularly to an adapter for connecting signs, such as traffic signs, to signposts.

2. Description of the Prior Art Traffic signposts come in various sizes and shapes, including such shapes as angle iron, I-beam, those having square and trapezoidal horizontal cross sections, and those being channel shaped (having U-shaped cross sections). All of these signposts are provided with a vertical row of perforations for use in connecting a sign to the signpost with a nut and bolt', usually at both the top and bottom of the traffic sign. Traffic signs must face in a specific direction, and the above-mentioned signposts usually have only one or two working sides (that is, the side on which the traffic sign is to be connected) therefore, it is imperative that the signposts be precisely installed with a predetermined orientation, so that the working side of the post faces in the correct direction. Clearly, if the signpost is not properly oriented when it is installed, the traffic sign will not face in the correct direction, and the signpost will have to be removed and re-installed. Another feature of the known systems for connecting signs to signposts that results in signs facing in the wrong direction and requiring removal and re-installation of the signpost is that the signposts are frequently hit and bent over by automobiles and trucks. A bent post can be straightened, however a twist often develops in the signpost such that a straightened post will not always have the same orientation that it had prior to being bent. This requires removal of the straightened, but twisted signpost and installation of a new signpost. Often, the incorrectly facing sign is left in position with the result that it is a traffic hazard. Another disadvantage of the present sign-signpost system is that if two signs are needed at approximately the same street location but they must face in different directions, then two separate signposts must be installed, one for each sign.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Two adapters are connected to a non-cylindrical signpost in vertically spaced-apart positions and a sign is connected to the adapters rather than to the signpost. Each adapter includes first connection means for connecting the adapter to a noncylindrical signpost and second connection means for connecting the sign to the adapter at any position around the periphery of the adapter. In the preferred embodiment, the adapter comprises a cylindrical main body portion formed in two mating halves having an opening to accomodate and hold the signposts therebetween, and a secondary adapter, for holding the sign, which is freely slidably movable around the periphery of the cylindrical main body portion and which can be locked to the cylindrical main body portion at any desired location around the periphery of the adapter.

The adapter of the present invention provides a more flexible sign-signpost system than is presently available, and overcomes the above-discussed problems and disadvantages in the prior art. For example, the adapter of the present invention can be installed without regard to its orientation (i.e. without regard to the direction its working side is facing). This means that the person doing the installing need not know the purpose for the particular signpost, what signs are to be installed thereon, nor what direction the sign should face. Further, when using the adapter of the present invention a single signpost can be used for holding several signs facing in different directions. Regarding posts that have been bent, they can be straightened without regard to possible twisting of the post, because the facing direction of the sign can be changed, if necessary, by means of the adapter of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description thereof, when read in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view, partly broken away and in cross section, showing the connection of a sign to a signpost using a pair of adapters of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the preferred adapter of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view through the preferred adapter of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view through another embodiment of the adapter of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a front plan view of the adapter of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, the preferred adapter 2 of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 1 shows a pair of adapters 2 connecting a sign 4 to a signpost 6. The adapter 2 comprises a cylindrical main body portion 8 and a secondary adapter 10. The secondary adapter 10 is freely slidably movable around the periphery of the main body portion 8, but it can be locked to the main body portion 8 at any desired circumferential position around the periphery thereof.

The main body portion 8 comprises a solid cylindrical block formed as a pair of mating male and female sections 12 and 14. The female section 14 includes a recess or cut-out portion 16 forming an opening 18 between the facing surfaces 20 and 22 of the male and female sections 12 and 14, respectively. The opening 18 has such a cross-sectional shape and thickness as to accommodate the signpost 6 between the sections 12 and 14 when they are connected together around the signpost 6. The two sections 12 and 14 can be connected together by means of a screw threaded bolt 24 (see FIG. 1) extending through registered openings 26 and 28 in sections 14 and 12 respectively. The opening 26 includes a countersunk portion 30 to completely receive a head 32 of the bolt 24, so that the head 32 can not obstruct the movement of the secondary adapter 10. A plurality of substantially equally circumferentially spaced-apart holes or perforations 34 extend radially inwardly a short distance from a peripheral surface 36 of the main body portion 8 to receive a screw threaded locking bolt 37, connected to the secondary adapter 10, for locking the secondary adapter 10 to the main body portion 8. The perforations 34 are not essential; the bolt 37 can simply be tightly forced against the surface 36 at any point thereof to lock the secondary adapter 10 to the main body portion 8. The main body portion 8 includes an upper surface 38 provided with an annular groove 40 having a rectangular, vertical cross section, and a lower surface 42 provided with a similar annular groove 44 having a rectangular, vertical cross-section. The grooves 40 and 44 provide a track for purposes that will be explained in detail below.

The secondary adapter 10 comprises a solid rectangular block having a flat, sign receiving surface 50 provided with a locking perforation 52 extending completely therethrough for receiving the locking bolt 37, and a sign-connecting perforation 54 extending partway therethrough, for connecting the sign 4 to the secondary adapter 10 by means of a bolt 56 extending through one of a pair of holes 58 in the sign 4. A rear surface 60 of the secondary adapter 10 is provided with a recess or cut-out portion 62 which is undercut at the upper and lower edges thereof to provide a pair of flanges 64 and 66, which extend into the grooves 40 and 44, respectively, of the main body portion 8. The depth of the cut-out portion 62 and the distance separating the flanges 64 and 66 are so dimensioned that the secondary adapter 10 will engage the main body portion 8 with a relatively free sliding fit therebetween. The secondary adapter 10 is slid into the grooves 40 and 44 when the two sections 12 and 14 are apart and it can not be removed from the main body portion 8 after the two sections 12 and 14 are connected together.

In order to install the sign 4 on the post 6 using a pair of the adapters 2 of the present invention, the main body portion 8 of each adapter 2 is separated into its two sections 12 and 14 which are then fitted, together with the secondary adapter 10, onto the signpost 6 and the sections 12 and 14 connected together by means of the bolt 24. Alternatively, the two adapters 2 can be slid down, already connected, over the top of the signpost 6, and then tightened together. After the facing direction of the sign 4 has been determined, the two secondary adapters 10 are locked, at the desired location, to the main body portion 8 by means of the bolt 37. The sign 4 is then bolted to the secondary adapters 10 by a pair of bolts 56 extending through upper and lower openings 58 in the sign 4 and into perforations 54 in the secondary adapters 10.

Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows a sign 70 connected to a signpost 72 of the angle iron type by means of a pair of adapters 74 made according to this embodiment of the present invention. The adapter 74 comprises a metal ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart perforations 76 therethrough.ne of the perforations 76 is used to connect each of the adapters 74 to the signpost 72 'by means, for example, of a nut and bolt 78. The sign 70 can then be connected, by means of a nut and bolt 80 to the adapter 74 at any one of a number of circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of the adapter 74.

A single adapter 2 can be used instead of two separate adapters by making the secondary adapter sufficiently vertically elongated that a pair of spaced, sign-connecting perforations 54 can be located therein. The adapters of the present invention are preferably constructed of metal but plastic and other materials can be used. The secondary adapter 10 of FIGS. 1-3 can be dispensed with if desired, and the sign 4 connected directly to the peripheral surface 36 of the main body portion 8 by means of the perforations 34. A pair of radially extending entrance grooves communicating with grooves 40 and 44 directly through the peripheral surface 36 can be provided in the main body portion 8 to allow the secondary adapter 10 to be put on and taken off of the main body portion 8 without removing the main body portion from the signpost 6.

Neither of the two embodiments of the present invention described above is limited to use with any particular shape and size of non-cylindrical signpost. For example, the adapter 2 can be used with the signpost 72 by using a different size and shape opening 18, and the adapter 74 can be used with the signpost 6. The number and spacing of the perforations 34 of the adapter 2 can be varied (or they can be dispensed with altogether as stated above) to provide a greater or fewer number of positions at which the sign 4 can be connected. It will be clearly understood from the above description that a single signpost can be used with two or more signs facing in completely different directions. It is further understood that if the signpost 6, for example, is bent and re-straightened and found to have a twist therein, that the sign 4 can be removed, the two secondary adapters l0 moved to the correct, new position on .the main body portion 8, and the sign 4 then reconnected to secondary adapters 10.

Further, by providing a second pair of vertically spacedapart holes in the sign 4, in register with the perforations 52 of the secondary adapter 10, the sign 4 can be re-oriented with respect to the signpost 6 without removing the sign 4 from the secondary adapter 10, by simply inserting a suitable tool such as a screwdriver through the additional pair of openings for actuating the bolt 37. The adapter 74 need not be exactly circular in cross section, but can be elliptical or any other suitable shape.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove.

lclaim:

1. An article for connecting a sign to a non-cylindrical signpost at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said signpost comprising:

a. an adapter;

b. first connection means on said adapter for affixing said adapter to a non-cylindrical signpost;

0. second connection means on said adapter for affixing a sign to said adapter at any one of a plurality of different, circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said adapter, and

d; wherein said adapter includes a cylindrical main body portion comprising a pair of mating sections having an opening therebetween of a size and shape similar to that of a horizontal cross section of said post, such that said opening embraces said post when said sections are matingly connected together around said signpost, and wherein said first connection means comprises means for holding said two sections together with said signpost therebetween.

2. The article according to claim 1 wherein said post includes a perforation and wherein said means for holding said two sections together includes a screw threaded bolt extending through a perforation in one of said sections, through said perforation in said post, and then into an internally screw threaded perforation in the other of said sections.

' 3. The article according to claim 1 wherein said second connection means comprises:

a secondary adapter separate from said main body portion;

means for connecting said secondary adapter to said main body portion for relatively free sliding movement of said secondary adapter around the cylindrical periphery of said main body portion;

means for locking said secondary adapter to said main body portion at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said main body portion; and

means for connecting said sign to said secondary adapter.

4. The article according to claim 3 wherein said main body portion includes a first annular groove in an upper surface thereof and a second annular groove in a lower surface thereof and wherein said secondary adapter includes a first flange extending into said first groove and a second flange extending into said second groove, for holding said secondary adapter to said main body portion for relatively free sliding movement therebetween.

5. The article according to claim 4 wherein said means for locking said secondary adapter to said main body portion comprises a screw threaded bolt extending through an internally screw threaded opening in said secondary adapter and into locking engagement with said main body portion.

6. The article according to claim 5 wherein said secondary adapter includes a flat, outwardly facing, sign receiving surface and wherein said means for connecting said sign to said secondary adapter comprises a screw threaded opening in said sign-receiving surface.

7. An article for connecting a sign to a non-cylindrical signpost at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said signpost comprising:

a. an adapter;

b. first connection means on said adapter for affixing said adapter to a non-cylindrical signpost; and

c. second connection means on said adapter for affixing a sign to said adapter at any one of a plurality of different, circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said adapter, said second connection means includes a secondary adapter movably connected to said adaptor.

8. An article for connecting a sign to a non-cylindrical signpost at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said signpost comprising:

a. an adapter;

b. first connection means on said adapter for affixing said adapter to a non-cylindrical signpost;

c. second connection means on said adapter for affixing a sign to said adapter at any one of a plurality of different, circumferentially spacedapart positions around the periphery of said adapter; and

d. wherein said adapter comprises a cylindrical metal ring having a plurality of peripherally spaced-apart perforations therethrough, wherein said first connection means comprises one of said perforations, and wherein said second connection means comprises the remaining ones of said perforations.

9. Apparatus comprising a vertical, non-cylindrical signpost, a pair of adapters connected to said post in vertically spaced-apart position on said signpost; a sign connected to said adapters, said adapters, including means for positioning said sign at any one of a plurality of different, circumferentially spaced-apart positions around said signposts; and

wherein each of said adapters comprises:

a cylindrical main body portion for connection to said post;

a secondary adapter for connection to said sign and being separate from said main body portion;

means for connecting said secondary adapter to said main body portion in relatively free sliding relationship around the periphery of said main body portion;

means for locking said secondary adapter to said main body portion at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions about the periphery of said main body portion, and

said secondary adapter including a flat, outwardly facing sign-receiving surface having means for connecting said sign thereto. 

1. An article for connecting a sign to a non-cylindrical signpost at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spacedapart positions around the periphery of said signpost comprising: a. an adapter; b. first connection means on said adapter for affixing said adapter to a non-cylindrical signpost; c. second connection means on said adapter for affixing a sign to said adapter at any one of a plurality of different, circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said adapter, and d. wherein said adapter includes a cylindrical main body portion comprising a pair of mating sections having an opening therebetween of a size and shape similar to that of a horizontal cross section of said post, such that said opening embraces said post when said sections are matingly connected together around said signpost, and wherein said first connection means comprises means for holding said two sections together with said signpost therebetween.
 2. The article according to claim 1 wherein said post includes a perforation and wherein said means for holding said two sections together includes a screw threaded bolt extending through a perforation in one of said sections, through said perforation in said post, and then into an internally screw threaded perforation in the other of said sections.
 3. The article according to claim 1 wherein said second connection means comprises: a secondary adapter separate from said main body portion; means for connecting said secondary adapter to said main body portion for relatively free sliding movement of said secondary adapter around the cylindrical periphery of said main body portion; means for locking said secondary adapter to said main body portion at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said main body portion; and means for connecting said sign to said secondary adapter.
 4. The article according to claim 3 wherein said main body portion includes a first annular groove in an upper surface thereof and a second annular groove in a lower surface thereof and whereIn said secondary adapter includes a first flange extending into said first groove and a second flange extending into said second groove, for holding said secondary adapter to said main body portion for relatively free sliding movement therebetween.
 5. The article according to claim 4 wherein said means for locking said secondary adapter to said main body portion comprises a screw threaded bolt extending through an internally screw threaded opening in said secondary adapter and into locking engagement with said main body portion.
 6. The article according to claim 5 wherein said secondary adapter includes a flat, outwardly facing, sign receiving surface and wherein said means for connecting said sign to said secondary adapter comprises a screw threaded opening in said sign-receiving surface.
 7. An article for connecting a sign to a non-cylindrical signpost at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said signpost comprising: a. an adapter; b. first connection means on said adapter for affixing said adapter to a non-cylindrical signpost; and c. second connection means on said adapter for affixing a sign to said adapter at any one of a plurality of different, circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said adapter, said second connection means includes a secondary adapter movably connected to said adaptor.
 8. An article for connecting a sign to a non-cylindrical signpost at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said signpost comprising: a. an adapter; b. first connection means on said adapter for affixing said adapter to a non-cylindrical signpost; c. second connection means on said adapter for affixing a sign to said adapter at any one of a plurality of different, circumferentially spaced-apart positions around the periphery of said adapter; and d. wherein said adapter comprises a cylindrical metal ring having a plurality of peripherally spaced-apart perforations therethrough, wherein said first connection means comprises one of said perforations, and wherein said second connection means comprises the remaining ones of said perforations.
 9. Apparatus comprising a vertical, non-cylindrical signpost, a pair of adapters connected to said post in vertically spaced-apart position on said signpost; a sign connected to said adapters, said adapters, including means for positioning said sign at any one of a plurality of different, circumferentially spaced-apart positions around said signposts; and wherein each of said adapters comprises: a cylindrical main body portion for connection to said post; a secondary adapter for connection to said sign and being separate from said main body portion; means for connecting said secondary adapter to said main body portion in relatively free sliding relationship around the periphery of said main body portion; means for locking said secondary adapter to said main body portion at any one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart positions about the periphery of said main body portion, and said secondary adapter including a flat, outwardly facing sign-receiving surface having means for connecting said sign thereto. 